The First 'Prommercial'

When is a television commercial not a commercial? When it's a `prommercial.'

We have Fiat to thank for this mangling of the Queen's English, the Italians having joined up with a modern music and dance combo called `Faithless' to promote its Punto Evo.

This `Prommercial' – a hybrid of promotional video and TV commercial – is a first in the music video and car advertising worlds (here in the UK at least), and allows the Punto Evo to play an important part in the narrative of the new Feelin Good video.

Apparently it was first shown on Sunday, August 15, during a break in the reality show Big Brother. Fiat booked the entire three-minute advert break to show the music video and create maximum impact. Sadly, I missed this potential cultural highlight of my weekend as I was enjoying a traditional English (not British, ENGLISH) Lamb roast with all the trimmings and a fine glass of red wine at the time. What a loss.

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Set to be one of the biggest music video productions of the year, allegedly, the Feelin Good video plot follows the exploits of a young man and woman, whose incredible dance moves are directly affected by the movements of small dolls hanging from the rear view mirrors of two Fiat Punto Evos.

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